Best car I have owned

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

9/10

Value

9/10

Reliability

9/10

Quality

9/10

Performance

9/10

Styling

10/10

Comfort

10/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Perfect combination of performance and luxury. The power is breathtaking and the options and features just make this car such a pleasure to drive. It blows your socks off, then, neatly folds them and puts them away in your sock drawer."

"This is my 3rd AMG and my 7th Mercedes. It is by far the best of the batch so far. Uncompromising, intoxicating performance is the only way to describe it. If you want performance this is it.
The key to any super car purchase is to get ANY used car inspected by a Mercedes dealer before purchase, it is money well spent. I paid out about $1000.00 to various dealers before purchasing my CL. All used cars have issues but if one is properly maintained and serviced it should give years of satisfaction.
I have heard the complainers stories about the ABC system for example and in most cases they have not followed factory service and maintenance (IE the reservoir on the system has a low and high mark, the low mark is the fluid level WITH THE ENGINE OFF the high mark IS WITH THE ENGINE ON. Over fill this system and it will fail!) just take it to Mercedes and have it serviced as needed! It is probably wise to avoid "boy racer" or modified cars as this car needs NO additions (except maybe paddle shifters instead of buttons)"

Best car ever owned and will buy MB again

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

9/10

Value

8/10

Reliability

10/10

Quality

10/10

Performance

10/10

Styling

10/10

Comfort

10/10

Pros: "Smoothest, quietest ride I've ever had"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Have had GM camaro, Ford trucks, Datsun/Nissan 240/280, and none compare to the quality, comfort, and reliability of this car. Pricey Yes, but will last 2 generations if well taken care of. Oil changes every 13,000 miles under warranty by MB with Mobil 1 oil and Mobil 1 filter"

Never had a finer car

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating

10/10

Value

10/10

Reliability

10/10

Quality

10/10

Performance

9/10

Styling

10/10

Comfort

9/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This was first 2000 delivered west of the Mississippi and it has been in the rain twice with only 27,000 miles. Just fixed the ABC ride and it is perfect once again with new Michelins. NEVER driven a finer car and I have owned 117. Always garaged and in perfect shape."

"This car is a perfect cross between luxury and sports car. The engine is powerful and responsive and when using manual shift the automatic transmission performs like a real standard, holding the car back on steep hills and allowing for an almost brake less stop when coming to stop sigh or a traffic light. It has seven gears to shift through. In sports mode it really enhances the driving experience, using manual. My car has all of the options, distronic cruise control, park assist, navigation, voice command, integrated phone, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated seats with massage functions,q the AMG appearance package, heated and cooled center storage console and the list goes on. The phone option requires a bluetooth module that inserts into the phone cradle to work with today's phones. I was surprised by the distronic, it functions very well. I was nervous about 2004 technology, but it is great so far. I have a problem with the tire monitor system. The warning light comes on each time the car is started and then changes to a malfunction warning. After some research is discovered that the sensors for the tires are wireless and attached to the tire side inside the rim and run on batteries, when the battery dies the system reports a low tire then a malfunctions. I have not been able to determine if the batteries can be replaced or if a new unit is required. I do know the tire has to be removed and since all tires are new I don't have any immediate plans to have them removed. I have opted to have my Mechanic turn the system off until I have a reason to have the tires removed from the rim. Not a very good design. Another design problem is the buttons on the door handles that allow the car to be locked widen the key is in your pocket. Both are missing and after Moore research I found out that they have the habit of continually falling off and then do not function. Besides looking a little rough where the button was it has not been an issue because the buttons to lock the car on the outside of the trunk and the inside are a different design and work with no problems. The only other thing that happened, well two things. One night driving home the display failed and had a message of total system failure, drive to nearest Mercedes Service Center. I kept driving to my destination and when I started the car to leave everything was fine and I have not seen the message again. Another time I got a message that a light was burned out on the front of the car and upon inspection I found it not working. I bought two replacement bulbs for $20 at my local auto parts store - not Mercedes and was thankful it was not the expensive main headlight that cost around $160 each and have to be installed by a mechanic (so says the manual). However, the light came back on at some point and has been functioning since. Now I have back up bulbs.
Even though I love driving the car the technology interface makes me nervous. There is a lot that can go wrong. Also a technological glitch can trick you into believing a mechanical repair is needed and so far that hasn't been the case. In their rush to keep up with the Japanese auto makers they over extended themselves in the technology area. German vacuum cleaners are very reliable, but I have not heard of a German computer so it stands to reason they are importing the technology and are making poor decisions or being sold second tier items. So for now I love the car and my nervousness goes away little by little as I learn more about the car and it's quirks. Even though my car is a 2004 that I paid a fraction of the original $119,000 sticker price, it still has the look and feel of that expensive new car. It is one of the more rare Mercedes and the body style has not changed so much. Easiest way to get an idea of the age is by the number on the badge that denotes the engine size. At least you can figure out a range. People not familiar with the Mercedes id process only see a beautiful expensive looking car. Oh, I also love the low growl of the engine on the way to its cruising speed."

"This is one of the most elegant and well crafted super luxury cars ever made. Yes the car is fast and the coupe body is one of the sexiest on the road, but the interior of the vehicle is a sumptuous cavern of ultra high end leather, wood, alcantara, and other luxurious materials. Everything just looks good, smells good, and feels good in the cockpit of this super Mercedes V12 Bi-turbo rocket. Only buy one that has verifiable maintenance documentation."